For many seriously thinking about a career change, most will have a good idea of the new area of work they would like to retrain to gain the necessary skills. The majority will have either been working in similar fields or possibly taking up an area of long held interest as a fulltime living. The current recession may represent an opportunity to make the move into a new working direction.For all those looking at the construction trades, training to be a fully qualified electrician is probably one of the most wisest of career move choices. Despite the long economic downturn, skilled electricians are always demand in both domestic and commercial sectors. Recent announcements by both Government and private industry of a renewed upsurge in large scale building projects means the 'work is there' , i.e. for all those fully trained and qualified to meet the requirements.As a result, there are many electrician courses - combining both 'theory' and 'practical' - being offered by many different types of training institutions. The City & Guilds NVQ Technical Certificate in Electrotechnical Technology Level 2 (2330), followed by undertaking NVQ Level 3 (2336) is recognised as an industry standard foundation training to proceed along your chosen career path.The key to knowing which trainer to choose, and which course - with full accreditation - is most appropriate for your particular requirements is asking yourself the 'right' questions!A Full Time Career or DIY'er?There are two types of training - national qualification courses ( NVQs) aimed at full career electrical training and development for all those wishing to enter the industry proper at domestic through to commercial. Then there are certificate electrician courses, which are designed for electrical home maintenance and repair, which provide basic knowledge so that you can fix fuses , repair switches, extend cables and carry out other similar basic DIY electrics around the home.Can You Set Aside The Time ?You need to find out if there are different course lengths and training times right for your particular circumstances. Some qualification levels can be taken over a matter of weeks, others over days and there are even weekend courses. Are You Starting Out Or A Trained Electrician?If you are starting from scratch, then you are required to start with the NVQ level 2 , which covers all topics beginning with fundamentals of electricity and how to use tools. Further development may be pursued by taking the 2336 and then move onto specific specialisations. If you are already a trained electrician and wish to update your knowledge within a specialised field, say, PAT testing, then you should opt for the relevant NVQ or certificate course.